Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
Be sure to enjoy the drive from Whitefish out to the Lupine Lake Trailhead as you travel through open meadows, riparian areas along streams, and dense forests as you never know what kinds of animals you might see.
Once at the trailhead, you'll duck down through the dark forest alongside an amazing canyon with a waterfall that turns to a trickle in later fall. The canyon is several degrees cooler as you drop down, cross the creek and then gently climb back up on the other side.
You'll move from wetter spruce forests to the drier larch, fir, and lodgepole. Speaking of the larch, October is a fantastic time to hike to the lake as the golden colors of the changing larches are stunning. The trail travels on a beautiful bench passing through small meadows before dropping down to the foot of the lake.
This small, wooded lake is a great little lunch spot before heading back.
This blog is part of a six part series of hikes in and around the Whitefish area in coordination with Explore Whitefish. Check out their website at explorewhitefish.com to find out more ways to explore the area, things to do, places to stay, and how you can recreate responsibly while visiting.
Be sure to enjoy the drive from Whitefish out to the Lupine Lake Trailhead as you travel through open meadows, riparian areas along streams, and dense forests as you never know what kinds of animals you might see.
Once at the trailhead, you'll duck down through the dark forest alongside an amazing canyon with a waterfall that turns to a trickle in later fall. The canyon is several degrees cooler as you drop down, cross the creek and then gently climb back up on the other side.
You'll move from wetter spruce forests to the drier larch, fir, and lodgepole. Speaking of the larch, October is a fantastic time to hike to the lake as the golden colors of the changing larches are stunning. The trail travels on a beautiful bench passing through small meadows before dropping down to the foot of the lake.
This small, wooded lake is a great little lunch spot before heading back.
This blog is part of a six part series of hikes in and around the Whitefish area in coordination with Explore Whitefish. Check out their website at explorewhitefish.com to find out more ways to explore the area, things to do, places to stay, and how you can recreate responsibly while visiting.
